Romeo & Juliet
by Elaine Vivian
Summary: Romeo falls for a girl, and for the first time in his life, he's really falling. Oneshot. R&R.


_***A/N: So, I was inspired, of course, but the fishies at my school reading Romeo & Juliet. And because background stories are my favorite to write. So please, enjoy! R&R!**_

* * *

"**A glooming peace this morning with it brings.  
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.  
Go hence to have more talk of these sad things.  
Some shall be pardoned and some punished.  
For never was a story of more woe  
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."**

**-Shakespeare's **_**Romeo & Juliet  
**_**Act V, Scene III**

* * *

"Nice try, Romeo," she said.

"How'd she know my name?"

Of course, that was how it always was. His name, a testament to his behavior; whether it worked or not, it was always worth a shot. It was always worth getting _her_ off of his mind.

She had been so incredibly beautiful. She had long, curly hazelnut hair with eyes to match. Her smile was _that_ smile, that kind of smile that let everybody know she was there. She was small, just a bit smaller than him. Even her personality was beautiful. She was kind, something scarcely found in these parts. She was humble and modest. Even if it was out of her way, she'd do something for a complete stranger. Even for a newsie. After all, that was how they'd met.

* * *

Romeo sat on the steps leading up to some rich family's house. The sun wasn't feeling too shy that day—it was noon and it had to be at least a hundred degrees. Already he was exhausted, and he wasn't even halfway done with selling his papes.

He rested his head against the railing, the heat trying to lull him asleep. He would've too, had it not been for a hand on his shoulder. He shook out of his doze with a start and looked up to see a girl, and for a minute he thought the sun's heat might have killed him and she was one of heaven's angels.

But when he realized she was one of the people who used these steps every day, he jumped up, scurrying from the steps. He averted his eyes to the ground and took off his cap. "I'm sorry, Miss," he said sheepishly. "I was just takin' a rest. Please don't call the bulls or nothin'."

She cocked her head curiously to the side. "Why would I call the police?"

Romeo fumbled over his words—not something he'd normally do—and managed to reply. "Because I was on your steps."

She gave him a small smile. "There's nothing illegal about resting. Besides, I was just coming outside to make sure you were all right. It's awfully hot, and heat can do terrible things to people. In fact… why don't you come inside for a short while? Mother and Father aren't home, and I bet you could do with some water."

Speechless for the first time, Romeo followed her inside. She fixed him a glass of milk and a sandwich that would put Henry's to shame. It was more than a meal than he'd had in weeks, and he was grateful for it.

He finished the sandwich and she looked at him intensely. "What's your name?" she asked.

He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "Well, most people call me Romeo… what?" he asked when she laughed. "What's so funny?"

She composed herself. "It's not funny in that sort of way. It's just, well… my name is Juliet." And then she laughed again.

Romeo didn't know much about anything besides sellin' papes, but he _did_ know the story of _Romeo & Juliet_. And suddenly, the connection became funny to him, too.

* * *

That had been the start of it all. He'd visit her when her parents weren't home. She'd always give him some food and some nice conversation. She gave him a copy of their namesake play. He read it whenever he was alone, which wasn't much, but he got some reading done at least once a day.

One day Specs caught him in a closet, hiding from the rest of the guys to take a break and read. "Whatchya doin' in here?" Specs asked.

Romeo slammed the book closed with a scrap of paper marking his page. "Nothin'," he snapped. "What's it to you?"

"I was just wonderin'," Specs replied. "Really, lemme see the book." Romeo shied away from his friend, but Specs was both stronger and taller and managed to pry the book from his hands. "'I take thee at thy word/Call me but "love," and I'll be new baptized/Henceforth I never will be Romeo.' Why are you reading Shakespeare?"

"You know it?"

"Someone must've bust up your brains or somethin', because if you recall, I'm usually the smart one around here. Yeah, I know it. But what do you have it for?"

It took some gentle coaxing, but Romeo finally told Specs about Juliet. Specs just smiled. "She sounds nice. But since when do you get head-over-heels for a girl? Last I knew you, you didn't really want someone like that."

Romeo sighed, frustrated. "I know, Specs, and that's just it. I don't really want _someone like that_. But I want _her_."

* * *

Specs had come with a plan for him. He'd memorize a set of lines from their play and say them too her. If all went well, then perhaps she'd feel the same way.

He went to her door at the same time as usual. He knocked, but it was not Juliet who answered the door.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked appalled. "I should be asking you that, young man. What gives a person of your standing the right to come and knock on my door?"

"Where's Juliet?"

The woman did not falter in her shock. "Who in the world is Juliet? I'll have you know that just because I've only recently moved here doesn't mean I'll let myself be terrorized by a street rat." With that, she slammed the door in his face.

So it was okay for them to call him Romeo. It was okay for him and the others to crack jokes about the way he acted. He would flirt with any pretty girl he could find. But not if they looked like her. He wouldn't trap himself like that again.

As long as talking to those other girls kept him from thinking about her, he'd be fine. There was no reason he would have to even let the thought of her bother him. As long as she was gone, he was fine. He had his papes, the flirty smiles of many girls, his friends… life always just went on.


End file.
